Owner and Executive Chef Marco Hernandez announced that his concept, Ze Crepes, located in the lobby of historic Scarbrough Building, is relaunching on Friday, March 29, 2023, as The Scarbrough. Hernandez is expanding the concept beyond the daytime hours to include a full bar with happy hour from 4-6 PM and a dinner menu featuring the freshest ingredients from farm and sea. Fan favorites like sweet and savory crepes will remain on the daytime menu with new healthy options added into the mix. Guests can make a reservation here. 

Chef Marco taught us how to make two cocktails:

Passion Fruit Mojito Cocktail 

In cup: 

1 oz demerara syrup 

3 dashes of Angostura 

6-8 leaves of mint 

Muddle together: 

2 oz Denizen white rum 

1 oz Dry Curacao 

3/4 oz Passion Fruit 

1/4 oz lime juice 

Top with shaved ice and Topo Chico and stir lightly to combine ingredients. Garnish with fresh mint bouquet. 

Prince Knees Cocktail 

3 oz gin 

1/4 oz violette 

1/2 oz honey 

3/4 oz lemon juice 

3 dash foamer 

2 dashes lavender bitter

Wet shake and strain into glass of choice 

Garnish with lavender and glitter

Chef Marco Hernandez earned a degree in culinary arts from the Institute Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France, and a Sommelier certification from the Université Du Vin in Suze-la-Rousse, France. When Chef Hernandez was working at Massimiliano Alajmo’s Ristorante Le Calandre in Rubano, Italy, he was part of a team that earned three Michelin stars. 

About the Austin food scene, Hernandez says, “Austin has a very specific identity, that inspires one to be creative and to flow into that culture. Austinites have a palate and sensibility for elegance, but also value simplicity.” Austin appeals to Hernandez for various reasons, including its love of fine food without the pretentiousness that often goes hand in hand with such cuisine. 

Tuesday through Saturday evenings, beginning at 6:00 pm, The Scarbrough will transform into an intimate, dining experience, preparing dishes and cocktails inspired by Chef Hernandez’s training and travels. Expect a seductive vibe in the restaurant at night, drawing inspiration from the roaring twenties era that informed Art Deco decor and architecture of the building.

He brings his culinary expertise and international style to The Scarbrough, drawing from his experience cooking and consulting in top kitchens around the world to create his new menu for The Scarbrough.

The Scarbrough dinner menu:

• Snax: marinated olives, seasoned nut blend, escabeche fingerling potatoes 
• Roots: red lentil hummus, root vegetables, labneh, almond-citrus dukkah, arugula mojo, olive toast
• Tostada: Australian octopus,pistachio-chapulin macha, black leche de tigre, yuzu kosho avocado pudding, pickled shallots, ink tostada
• Tako: ora salmon poke, jasmine rice, avocado, meyer lemon, nori, purple shiso
• Duck: moulard duck confit in chamomile, Aleppo pepper honey, spice bread, cilantro, crispy panko, creamy rutabaga 
• Slider: iberico pork belly porchetta, croissant, pasilla mixe & tomatillo jam, mizuna mustard, fennel pollen
• Empanada: huitlacoche, calabacita, poblano, epazote, corn emulsion, salsa pasilla mixe 
• Aguachile: kampachi, blood orange & chile costeño, pepino melon, cucumber, jicama, red cabbage, sorrel
• Bruschetta: black olive toast, fig, prosciutto, stracchino, arugula mojo, micros
• Tiger: jumbo tiger shrimp, heirloom black bean puree, tarragon sauce, Spanish chorizo sand, green oil 

The Scarbrough will serve these dishes and other Chef Hernandez creations from 6pm-10pm Tuesday through Saturday.

Happy Hour will be from 4pm-6pm, Tuesday-Saturday, featuring small bites and drink specials. The drink menu includes: 

• Hibiscus Mule Tito’s vodka, hibiscus, lime juice, ginger shrub, ginger beer
• Rosemary Paloma Temerana blanco tequila, dry curaçao, carbonized fresh grapefruit juice, agave, lime juice, rosemary
• Spicy Mezcarita 400 Conejos Mezcal, poblano liqueur, agave, lime juice, serrano bitters, pasilla salt
• Passion Fruit Mojito Denizen aged white rum, dry curaçao, Passion fruit, mint, demerara, Angostura bitters, soda
• Black on Black Nitrini Ketel One Vodka, Mr. Black, 43 liqueur, Cuvee cold brew, nitro, 

grated parmesan

• Unusual Negroni Gray Whale Gin, Aperol, Lillet Blanc
• Amoxicillin Old Overholt Rye, Domaine de Canton, honey, ginger-sage shrub, yuzu, 

Angostura bitters

• Birch Old Fashioned Tincup whiskey, demerara, orange mist, birch, cherrywood smoke
• Banana Hammock Probitas rum, Banane du Brésil, lime juice, orgeat
• Empress 1908 gin, Creme de Violette, honey syrup, lemon juice, lavender bitters, glitter

Hernandez has added new healthy options to the daytime menu as well, with gluten-free and vegan options, including:

• Fruit Bowl  (vegan, gluten-free) seasonal fruit selection 
• Parfait Bowl (gluten-free) Greek yogurt, seasonal fruit medley, Texas honey, granola
• Avocado Toast (vegan) sourdough toast, tzatziki, avocado, cherry tomatoes, sunflower seeds, arugula, olive oil sand
• Tropical Bowl passion fruit curd, greek yogurt, raspberry sauce & mixed berries, chia, 
• coconut, streusel 
• Rockin’ Beets Bowl quinoa & farro blend, seasonal greens, carrot, roasted beets, goat cheese, honey pecan vinaigrette

The Scarbrough is downtown in the lobby of the historic, Art Deco Scarbrough Building at 522 Congress Avenue. 

About Executive Chef and Owner Marco Hernandez 

Classically trained chef, Marco Hernandez, earned his degree in culinary arts from the Institute Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France, and his Sommelier certification from the Université Du Vin in Suze-la-Rousse, France. He is passionate about crafting dishes using fresh, local, and high-quality ingredients. Hernandez has earned his reputation working in his own concepts as well as consulting in top kitchens around the world. He has experience in high-end restaurants spanning his native Mexico, the U.S.A., France, Italy, and Spain, Austin and San Antonio.

Chef Hernandez has never been a fan of the “next new thing.” He believes in spending time and effort to put dishes together beautifully. Chef Marco believes in sourcing locally, something he has observed globally, too. Apart from local ingredients and products, Hernandez also seeks out special items created in small batches, because, as he states, “Small batch stuff is so much better usually.” 

Hernandez brings this attention to detail to his own restaurant, The Scarbrough, in the lobby of Austin’s stunning art deco Scarbrough Building. When building owner David Khan convinced Hernandez to move to Austin to open a restaurant in the historic downtown building, Hernandez was happy to move closer to family. He appreciates being part of Austin’s growing evolution into a world-class city. 

“Austinites have a palate and sensibility that attracts James Beard-level chefs to town,” Chef Marco observes. Hernandez notes that It’s nice to see people appreciating beautifully made food, but without the usual fussiness that often goes hand in hand with that level of execution. He looks forward to bringing his new menu to his adopted hometown.